Government to streamline consruction minerals sub sector

7th September, 2017

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TASKFORCE TO MANAGE KENYA QUARRIES CONSTITUTED

Thursday, 7th September 2017 (Nairobi, Kenya)… The Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Mining Hon. Dan Kazungu, EGH, has constituted a taskforce on administration of quarries for a period of one year to work towards reorganizing the quarry sub sector in the country.

The nine-member team chaired by Edward Mulewa Mwachinga will be tasked with among other duties; proposing mechanisms for proper administration and management of the construction minerals subsector in accordance with the mining act 2016, coming up with modalities for the effective collection of royalties and taxes from the construction minerals sub sector while assessing the compliance by active and inactive quarries, identifying all active and inactive quarries, establishing legal status, land ownership and management of all active quarries, assessing the state of environmental, health and safety compliance of all quarries as well as the impact of the use of explosives in the sub sector.

Speaking in Nairobi, the cabinet secretary Dan Kazungu said, “quarrying is increasingly becoming key. Lack of regulation in the sub sector has led to degradation of the environment, misuse of revenues meant to be remitted to the national government, investors and the communities.”

The taskforce that will report to the cabinet secretary on a monthly basis is also expected to transform the quarry sub sector for better revenues and ensure artisanal, small scale and large-scale miners carry out responsible mining.

Mr. Kazungu added, “Despite the challenges in the subsector, there are also numerous opportunities for Kenyans to tap into as Kenya is undergoing infrastructure transformation that largely requires construction minerals in nearly all aspects.”

In 2016, the construction industry contributed 7 percent of Gross domestic Product (GDP) with the key ingredient being construction minerals such as sand, gravel, clay (bentonite and Kaolin), cement, gypsum, slate and building stone among others.

Under the new mining law, the government under the Ministry of Mining in Kenya regulates construction minerals.